On The Beat: Virginia Tech

On the Beat

October 25, 1989|Compiled by DAVE JOHNSON

* QB CONTROVERSY?

Billy Hite, the Hokies' acting head coach until Frank Beamer is released from Roanoke Memorial Hospital, won't say who will start at quarterback against Tulane Saturday afternoon. Senior Cam Young was elevated to first string when Will Furrer went down with a season-ending knee injury and has started the Hokies' last three games. But his performances against Florida State and East Carolina were poor and backup Rodd Wooten could get a shot against the Green Wave (2-5). "Rodd and Cam will split time this week and whoever performs the best will start Saturday," Hite said. "The decision probably won't be made until Friday night or early Saturday morning." Young, 1-4 as a starter during his career, has completed only 11 passes for 77 yards the past two weeks. Wooten, a redshirt sophomore from First Colonial High in Virginia Beach, is 4-for-6 for 55 yards in limited work. ... In 1988, Tech didn't throw its first touchdown pass until the sixth game. This season, the Hokies passed for three scores in the opener against Akron. Tech hasn't scored a touchdown by air then.

* QUITE A FALL

How discouraged are the Hokies' after last week's unexpected 14-10 loss at East Carolina? "We've hit rock bottom," senior fullback Rich Fox said. "Absolute rock bottom. Against Florida State (in a 41-7 loss), we were down, but we felt all right because we could rebound against East Carolina and we've still got a great season ahead of us. Instead, we go out and don't play to win. We've hit rock bottom. We can't go any lower. We're just going to have to pick ourselves up." ... For the first time since his freshman season, and for only the second time in his career, senior split end Myron Richardson was held without a pass reception against East Carolina, snapping a string of 16 consecutive games.

* WAVE GOOD-BYE

Tulane tight end Chuck Gorman, fifth on the team with 13 receptions, has left the team for personal reasons. Jeff Kinyo has been elevated to first string. ... Tech's offense, with a desire to post some big numbers on the scoreboard as well as on the stat sheet, could have an excellent opportunity this week. The Green Wave is giving up 29.4 points a game and has given up 30 or more four times.

* PAYBACK TIME

Most people have fun when they visit New Orleans, but the Hokies were demolished by Tulane 57-38 two years ago at the Superdome. "A lot of our guys remember that game," Fox said. "They're a pretty physical team, a typical Southeastern team. But we feel it's payback time."